Families Living Violence Free

TownTalk: Families Living Violence Free To Hold Quarter Auction

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Families Living Violence Free is based in Granville County, but Executive Director Amy Langston said the nonprofit agency is just a phone call away – 24/7 – for individuals who find themselves in need of help because of domestic violence or sexual assault.

Although their physical location is on the campus of Central Children’s Home in Oxford, Langston said they are available for anyone in and around Vance County as well.

Langston said the trained staff and volunteers bring distinct skill sets to their roles with the organization, which celebrated its 20-year anniversary in May. But what they all share, she added, is a passion for helping the community and the drive and compassion to serve those who find themselves in difficult situations.

Although they do get grants that help provide emergency services like shelter, food and relocation, Langston said FLVF relies on the community for support, too.

The FLVF annual Quarter Auction is coming up Friday, Oct. 4 at Carlee Farms in Granville County, and it’s the perfect time to enjoy an evening while knowing that the proceeds go to help the organization.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner begins at 6:15 and the auction starts at 7 p.m., Langston said. A $25 ticket will get you dinner and a bidding paddle; remember to bring your rolls of quarters, as well as some extra money to shop with a host of vendors that will be on hand.

There will be a silent auction taking place that evening, and a 50/50 raffle, too.

“It is fun, but we know the cause” that we’re supporting, Langston said. Sponsorships are available for the event – Bronze for $50, Silver for $100 and Gold for $200 and up.

“All the support we receive will help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault,” Langston said.

Call 919.693.3579 to purchase a ticket. A special unlimited bid paddle is available for $50, but Langston said there will be a limited number for sale, and tickets are going fast.

Proceeds from fundraisers like the Quarter Auction help support FLVF efforts, which not only involves helping people in crisis but also includes educating the community.

Staff members complete 20 hours of intense training, Langston said, and the numerous volunteers undergo similar training, all to ensure clients’ safety and confidentiality.

Langston said she hopes to continue sponsoring community workshops like one held last week to share information about human trafficking.

“We had a full house,” Langston said, adding that details about future workshops would be forthcoming.

Volunteer applications are available at www.flvf.org or at the office, located at 211 Antioch Dr. Oxford. Volunteers help with donations, accompany clients to court for support, help at community events and more. There are two part-time staff openings – a youth advocate position and an outreach advocate position, Langston said.

“We’re growing and we hope to have more full-time positions,” she said.

If you are in crisis as a result of domestic violence or sexual assault, call the crisis line at FLVF at 919.693.5700. Spanish speakers can call 919.690.0888.

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TownTalk: Area Congregations In Ministry

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Since 1985, Area Congregations in Ministry has been helping Granville County residents who find themselves facing hardship – and its new executive director, Ann Riley, has seen firsthand faith, through action, in the few short weeks since she’s had the job.

ACIM’s mission has long been to relieve hunger, Riley said on Thursday’s TownTalk. These days, the phrase “food insecurity” is being used to describe how many people find themselves needing the help that ACIM offers.

Any Granville County resident who needs help can come once a month to the 634 Roxboro Road facility on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to get food and other household and personal hygiene items that may be available.

The warehouse shelves contain a variety of items like canned goods, non-perishables and household supplies, Riley said. The walk-in coolers hold fresh produce and the freezers are for meats and other products that are donated.

“We just never know from day to day, from week to week, what’s going to be in those boxes” of food that volunteers wheel out to clients’ vehicles.

She has spent her first few weeks on the job putting some finishing touches on her office and learning the role that so many volunteers play to keep the food bank doors open. She said she is struck by the level of support from the community – from businesses and corporations who donate goods to church congregations who send food, money and people to help out.

It seemed like a natural fit for Riley, who said she has always had a desire, a “want” to help people.

“I have been blessed in my life through many changes and I feel like I can be a blessing to others,” she said.

Volunteers are welcome to help during the hours that ACIM is open, but they also are needed on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

“That’s when we do some of our stocking and preparing our boxes for the next day,” she said.

Riley is the only full-time employee of the nonprofit, but Kristine Williford is the warehouse manager and she’s the one who keeps things rolling.

“She is such a vital team member at ACIM,” Riley said. Williford keeps the pantry running smoothly and lines up pickups and deliveries. “She’s invested in what ACIM does,” Riley added.

The Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot is one of the biggest donation events of the year, and she looks forward to an upcoming planning meeting with host church Oxford United Methodist.

“We have a lot of good things coming up,” Riley said, including a planned Open House to allow everyone in the community a chance to come and see the operation first-hand.

“You don’t have to be on food stamps to come and get food boxes,” Riley said. ACIM provides food and other items to anyone facing a hardship – senior adults on fixed incomes, families struggling to make ends meet or someone who’s lost a job or is between jobs.

Although ACIM’s mission is to serve clients who live in Granville County, Riley said she would try to help anyone find resources.

“We want to see them get help, whether we can provide it or someone else can provide it.”

Call 919.690.0961 or visit https://www.acimgranville.org/ to learn more.

 

TownTalk: Night Out Against Crime Tuesday, Oct. 1

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The community is invited to the Henderson-Vance County Night Out Against Crime that will be held Tuesday, Oct. 1 beginning at 5 p.m. along Breckenridge Street near the police station.

Local law enforcement agencies and other first responders will join a host of community partners and resource groups that serves as a way to build rapport with civilians and strengthen working relationships among those who protect and serve.

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame said the event “is a great opportunity to get to know them and them to know us.” Too often, Brame said, children interact with law enforcement officers in domestic or otherwise violent situations.

The Night Out Against Crime gives adults and children alike the opportunity to chat and share a positive experience.

Henderson Police Capt. Joey Ferguson said the opening ceremony begins at 5 p.m., and then folks will be free to visit the various booths and tents – and enjoy a free meal of a hotdog, chips and drink. Child attendees will get a swag bag full of goodies as well.

“Last year was really good and we hope this year’s even better,” Ferguson said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

Brame said he looks forward to the networking opportunity the Night Out Against Crime creates. He makes it a point to visit schools each week “to meet kids where they’re at,” and the annual Night Out event provides another chance for children to see uniformed officers up close and personal.

Ferguson said, “We really enjoy having the opportunity to engage community members – and especially kids,” and Night Out helps shine a positive light.

“They’re not seeing us when they’re at their worst,” he said, “when they’re going through a traumatic situation.”

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TownTalk: H-V Chamber 2024 Leadership Vance Graduation

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Members of the 2024 Leadership Vance class gathered Tuesday night to celebrate their graduation from the program, reminisce a bit about their time together as they learned about their community and pledged to keep Vance County moving in a positive direction.

Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson and Chamber Board Chair Margier White got the ceremony underway following dinner at Kerr Lake Country Club.

Sixteen individuals received their graduation certificates – some have spent their whole lives in Vance County and others have relocated for work or other reasons.

Alicia Campbell is a Vance County native, and she told the group that she had learned a lot about the county she was born in. Campbell said she believes the class members have formed friendships that will last far beyond their time together touring businesses and learning what Vance County has to offer.

Fellow classmate Richard Davis took a moment to recall the extensive schedule the class followed, which included visiting 66 different venues. At those businesses, offices and governmental agencies, Davis noted that 178 took time out of their day to have Leadership Vance visit. “They were excited to speak to us,” he said.

Each Leadership Vance class completes a community service project, and the 2024 class decided to go one better and complete two projects.

Gary Band, editor at The Daily Dispatch, reported that the community garden is installed and will be ready to receive vegetable plants at the appropriate time, which ultimately will be harvested and shared with the men at the new City of Hope men’s shelter.

Laura Pendergrass, with Century 21 Realty, chaired the second project which involved collecting children’s books to be used in two Little Libraries – one at Fox Pond Park and a second at Chestnut Street Park.

Both projects are symbolic of the ongoing commitment by class members, which will help build relationships, strengthen the community and make Vance County the best it can be.

“It’s going to happen,” said Davis. “We just have to wait for it – and keep working.”

Following is the list of 2024 Leadership Vance graduates:

Susan Abbott, individual Chamber member

Gary Band, The Daily Dispatch

Alicia Campbell, Vance County

Richard Davis, A.R. Perry Glass

Susann Elliott, M.R. Williams

David Figueroa, Benchmark Community Bank

Krystal Foxx, Vance-Granville Community College

Xavier Hargrove, Hargrove Appraisals

Kimberly Lewis, Henderson Police Department

Cindy Norwood, City of Henderson

Bobby Orr, Charles Boyd Chevy

Laura Pendergrass, Century 21

Lance Stallings, Vance Charter School

Luke Stark, Wm. L. Stark, CPA

Elizabeth Townsend, Duke Energy

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VGCC Logo

TownTalk: VGCC Truck Driver Program & National Truck Driver Appreciation Week

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This week is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week and Vance-Granville Community College joins the nation’s trucking industry in a weeklong celebration of the millions of professional truck drivers who deliver America’s freight safely and securely every day.

Established by the American Trucking Associations in 1988 to recognize the vital contributions of truck drivers to our daily lives and to the economy, the national observance highlights the contributions of the nation’s 3.5 million truck drivers who deliver 70 percent of the country’s total freight to communities large and small.

Vance-Granville Community College has actively supported trucking in its four-county service area since launching a commercial driver’s license program in 2020. Originally offered in collaboration with Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, VGCC’s program achieved the criteria to run independently late last year. To date, 290 VGCC students have graduated from the nine-week program, many of whom have been hired immediately or gone on to open their own trucking business.

“Kelvin Sharpe, our truck driver training coordinator, says, ‘Give us nine weeks and we’ll change your life,’” said Kyle Burwell, VGCC dean of Business & Industry Solutions. Since 2020, the program has graduated close to 300 individuals

Vance-Granville’s next Truck Driver Training course begins Oct. 21. There’s still time to register, and Burwell said there is a mandatory orientation that will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the Henderson campus. The session will conclude on Dec. 20.

To view participant requirements and register, please visit www.vgcc.edu/cdl.

Burwell and lead instructor Georgie Bullock were guests on Tuesday’s TownTalk and provided more details about the program.

As with driving any vehicle, Bullock said the top priority to convey to students is safety. Safety and patience.

“Take your time, watch everything moving around you,” Bullock said. “Always be prepared to stop,” he said. Driving on the open road is one thing, but driving a big rig through town can be unnerving at first, Bullock acknowledged.

“They can get kinda nervous driving through town,” he said. But city streets are part of the everyday training routes, as well as the testing route.

“If you can’t drive in town, you don’t need to be a driver,” he said.

Burwell calls the VGCC program “turnkey,” meaning that once the students complete the course, any one of three licensed examiners are on campus to administer the CDL test. The only thing left to do after a student passes the examination is go to the DMV to get their photo taken and get their CDL.

Burwell said she is thankful that the program’s instructors and coordinators stress safety, whether they’re on the driving range or on the road. There is no room for error or distraction when you’ve got 80,000 pounds of truck and cargo behind you.

Bullock tells students, “When you’re on the road, be 100 percent focused on what you’re doing.”

Learn more at www.vgcc.edu/cdl.

 

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Families Living Violence Free

FLVF Hosts Quarter Auction Friday, Oct. 4

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Families Living Violence Free is having a Quarter Auction on Friday, Oct. 4 at Carlee Farms in Granville County.

The doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner begins at 6:15 p.m. and the auction begins at 7 p.m., according to information from FLVF Executive Director Amy Langston.

Tickets are $25 and include dinner and bidding paddle. All proceeds go to direct services for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Don’t forget to bring your rolls of quarters for bidding and some extra “folding money” to purchase products from vendors that will be on site for the event. For a $50 ticket price, bidders can upgrade their paddles to have unlimited bids on items during the auction. There will be a 50/50 raffle and silent auction held as well.

Carlee Farms is located at 1003 Carlee Farms Rd. in Granville County.

Purchase tickets by calling 919.693.3579.

Langston said businesses, organizations and others can provide extra support by becoming sponsors of the event. The sponsorship levels are Bronze: $50; Silver: $100; and Gold: $200.

Checks, payable to FLVF, can be sent to:

P.O. Box 1632

Oxford, NC 27565

The FLVF Crisis Line operates 24 hours a day. Call 919.693.5700; Spanish speakers can call 919.690.0888.

For more information, contact FLVF at 919.693.3579 or email info@flvf.org.

 

 

Dale Folwell

TownTalk: State Treasurer Folwell On Upcoming Open Enrollment And More

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There may be departments, offices and agencies within state government that hog the spotlight and get attention in any number of ways, but few affect the everyday goings-on of residents of North Carolina like the office of the state treasurer.

Treasurer Dale Folwell, closing out his second term as the state’s chief financial officer, wears a variety of hats, from chairing the Local Government Commission and connecting people to “lost” cash, to advocating for the state retirees’ pension and state employees’ health insurance.

This year’s open enrollment period for state employees and retirees runs from Sept. 30 – Oct. 25. “It’s the longest open enrollment period we ever had,” Folwell said, “and that’s by design.”

This is an important time because the state is transitioning to a new third-party administrator. In January, Aetna will take over from Blue Cross, and Folwell said folks will need to make some choices during open enrollment.

“Pay attention to your emails, don’t procrastinate, and read what it says,” Folwell said on Monday’s TownTalk.

If you’re among 150,000 or so state retirees on Humana’s Basic Plan, you should be all set – no action necessary. But the 600,000 or so other state employees and retirees will need to make sure they choose from their options during open enrollment.

There’s a bus tour happening now to bring information about the transition to residents across the state and McGregor Hall in Henderson will host a stop on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 3-5 p.m. Visit https://www.shpnc.org/ and follow the links to register for this or other dates.

Folwell will be retiring at the end of this term – an unsuccessful bid for governor meant he was not eligible to file for re-election as treasurer, but he’s been no lame duck during his last months as treasurer.

Just last week, the LGC approved two key projects with local ties – a $400,000 for the City of Henderson to address lead pipe mitigation and a multi-million-dollar project to lay 23+ miles of water lines in the Kittrell area and to make improvements to that town’s 100,000-gallon water tank.

Henderson and Vance County are just two of the approximately 1,200 units that report to the LGC, which Folwell said was established 75 years or so ago as a measure to protect municipalities and county governments from insolvency.

Once Folwell hangs up all the hats associated with his current office, he said he’ll have plenty to keep him busy.

“I love fixing and I love saving,” he explained. As for the fixing part, he ticked off three things that will get his attention: his relationship with God, his family and motorcycles.

“I think I ‘m going to be very happy doing that,” he said.

 

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TownTalk: Property Tax in Vance County

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Vance County residents have until Jan. 6, 2025 to pay their property tax bills before getting hit with a 2 percent interest penalty. That may add insult to injury this year, when many taxpayers are facing higher bills as a result of last year’s revaluation.

Vance County is among a handful of counties across the state that waits eight years – the state’s mandatory maximum interval to conduct revaluation – and some county leaders have said it needs to be done more often to reduce the sting and surprise of pricey tax bills.

The county published a list of questions and answers following the public comment portion of the Sept. 3 county commissioners meeting. Tax bills were sent out on Aug. 22, according to information on the county tax department webpage.

Much of the information had been discussed already, either during meetings of the board of commissioners or budget work sessions – the merits of sticking with a revenue-neutral budget versus the need for capital improvement projects that include a new fire station, 911 call center and jail, just to name a few.

One issue that county officials said they will explore is splitting the tax bill to show the breakdown between city tax and county tax for those city residents who must pay both. This hasn’t been done in more than a decade, and a change could come as soon as the 2025 tax bills.

County commissioners adopted the 2024-25 budget on June 24, which included a 10-cent tax increase per $100 valuation. The basic breakdown of that 10-cent increase is $.01 for salary increases to help attract and retain county employees and $.09 for those future capital projects.

As the county faces more opportunities for growth, be they commercial, industrial or residential, there also is a demand for adequate infrastructure to support that growth.

The question that municipalities and counties face is how to balance that growth – providing more services for residents, creating a better and bigger tax base that ultimately may reduce an undue burden on homeowners.

Property owners could appeal their tax bills, as long as they met a few conditions; there was an online mechanism to appeal property tax bills as part of the revaluation process. But 157 property owners in Vance County who completed an online submission got news that their data had been inexplicably lost during a routine computer program update.

To make matters worse, “the normal backup procedures failed to restore the data. The company is working “to better the situation and recollect the lost data,” the FAQ statement read.

Visit https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/tax-overview/ to learn more.

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